Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes with Whipped Coconut Cream
Vegan chocolate cupcakes topped with whipped coconut cream. They're soft, fluffy, and packed with flavor. They're unlike any vegan cupcakes I've ever tried! Yield: makes 2 dozen
Servings: 24
Ingredients
Avocado Chocolate Cupcakes:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
- 2 teaspoon instant espresso powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 1/2 cup mashed avocado
- 2 cups water
- 2 Tablespoons distilled white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Whipped Coconut Cream:
- 2 -14 oz cans coconut cream
- 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar, sifted
Instructions
Avocado Chocolate Cupcakes:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare cupcake tin with paper liners. Set aside.
- In another large bowl, stir together coconut oil, mashed avocado, water, vinegar, and vanilla. Add all of dry mixture to wet ingredients. Stir to combine until there are no longer any dry streaks of flour.
- Divide batter evenly among cupcake tin, filling liners about ¾ full. Bake for 20-22 minutes until toothpick inserted in center of cupcake comes out clean. Allow cupcakes to cool in tin for about 5 minutes before unmolding. Allow cupcakes to cool to room temperature on wire rack. *
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, espresso powder, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and sugar. Set aside.
Whipped Coconut Cream:
- Chill canned coconut cream in the fridge for at least 6 hours, overnight or longer is best. When removing canned coconut cream from fridge, do not shake or agitate.
- Before whipping coconut cream, place a large mixing bowl in the fridge or freezer until chilled.
- Open canned coconut cream and scoop out hardened coconut cream, leaving any liquid at the bottom of the can. Discard liquid, or chill and use later for smoothies, coffee, etc. Place coconut cream in chilled bowl.
- Using a handheld mixer, whip coconut cream until smooth. Add sifted powdered sugar and continue to mix until incorporated. Cover with plastic wrap and allow whipped coconut cream to chill for at least 15 minutes before frosting. The whipped coconut cream will not stiffen like regular whipped cream. It will be a lot looser. Chilling will help strengthen the coconut cream.
Assembly:
- Spoon a dollop of whipped coconut cream over cooled chocolate cupcakes. Use the back of a spoon or a mini offset spatula to spread the cream. If desired, decorate cupcakes with sanding sugar or sprinkles. Enjoy immediately.*
Notes
- If making cupcakes ahead of time, store cooled cupcakes in the fridge well wrapped. Cupcakes can be made up to two days in advance.
- If you decorate cupcakes with sanding sugar or sprinkles, cupcakes should be eaten immediately. Over time the sprinkles will bleed onto the whipped coconut cream.